Continuous stock feeder



April 7, 1953 -J. F. ROMANS EI'AL 2,633,625

CONTINUOUS STOCK FEEDER Filed May 12, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 R INVENTOR5 JOHN E wMAA/s Mp L B) STANLEY v. Par/me m 1 GUM/104 ATTO ENE Y6.

April 7, 1953 J. F. ROMANS ETAL 2,633,625

CONTINUOUS STOCK FEEDER Filed May 12, 1948 -4'Sheets-Shee't 2 IN V EN TORS JOHN F. Pan/W6 AND y smlvzz'y M POC/(AR OMQJW A 7702MB Y6.

J. F. ROMANS ETAL CONTINUOUS STOCK FEEDER April '7, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 12, 1948 n m m h w MW ma o N? RY w MN #0 a g My N M April 1953 J. F. ROMANS EI'AL 2,633,625

. commuous srocx FEEDER Filed may 12, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORJ JOHN F. ROMANS AN BY STANLEY V. 706K402 ATTORNE V6.

Patented Apr. 7, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTINUOUS STOCK FEEDER John F. Romans, Cleveland Heights, and Stanley V. Pockar, Cleveland, Ohio, assignors to The Motch & Merryweather Machinery Company, Cleveland, hio, a corporation of Ohio Application May 12, 1948, Serial N 0. 26,526

9 Claims. (01. 29-69) This invention relates, as indicated, to stock feeding mechanism and more particularly to such mechanism of a type adapted to feed a continuous length of stock tov cut-of]? means such as a rotary metal sawing machine or the like.

In the case of any automatic machine such as an automatic sawing machine or other cut-off device, it is very important that the various sequential movements performed during a cycle of operation be performed with an absolute minimum of waste time in order to make most ellicient use of the machine and achieve highest possible production. It is, of course, also important that the stock to be cut off be fed forward exactly the proper distance'and then firmly held in position during the cut-off operation. Various types of rec'iprocable mechanisms have been emplayed :to intermittently advance the stock, including both hydraulic and pneumatic actuated piston cylinder assemblies. There has, however,

been some difliculty in the past due to the fact that such fluid pressure cylinders do not always stay in correct adjustment and also, with some types of feed mechanism, the stock may rebound slightly after striking the stock stop or gauge.

It is therefore a primary object of our invention to provide stock feeding" means adapted to feed continuous lengths of bar stock and the like which will immediately advance the stock after each operation thereon without anyunnecessary delay.

Another object of our invention is to provide such stockfeed mechanism which will require no adjustment but will automatically accommodate itself to diiferent shapes of stock.

Still another object is to provide such mechanism which will require no elaborate control system for timing its operationin proper relation to the operation of stock cut-off, clamping, and like devices.

Other objects will appear as the description proceeds. v

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, saidinvention then comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawing setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative,.-however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principle of the invention maybe employed.

In :the said-annexed drawing: a a

Fig. 1- is a side elevational view of a-circular sawing machine of the general type described in Patent No. 2,327,920 to J. G. Moohl, and showin the stock feed mechanism of our invention mounted for cooperation therewith;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of such machine and stock feed mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of such assembly;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged elevational view partly in cross-section of the principal elements of our novel feed mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic layout of the fluid pressure system showing the manner of interrelating the operation of the feed mechanism and cut-off means; and

Fig. 6 is a diagram of the electric control circuit therefor.

Referring now more particularly to said drawing and especially Figs. 1-3 thereof, the stock feed mechanism of our invention is shown mounted for cooperation with a circular sawing machine although it will, of course, 'be appreciated that various other types of 'cut-ofi devices may be employed in appropriate cases. Such circular sawing machine will first be generally described in order that the relationship of such stock feed mechanism thereto may be better understood. Such sawing machine comprises a box frame I carrying a saw carriage 2 mounted for reciprocation along ways 3. An electric motor 4 is pivot allymounted upon such carriage for proper tensioning of belt drive 5 through which gearing (not shown) within such carriage is driven to operate the rotary cold metal cutting saw 6. A chip removersuch as a star wheel or rotary wire brush 1 may be provided to clear chips from the saw teeth. A coolant supply tube 8 conducts cutting oil or the like to the saw blade.

A stock stop 9 is pivotally mounted on a slide block In adapted to be adj'ustably positioned along bar ll carried by bracket l2 and outrigger support [3 on saw carriage 2. Aclamp I 4 serves to fix the position of stock stop or gauge 9 along such bar, a final delicate adjustment being attained by means of knurled adjusting screw I5.'

A normally open microswitch l6 likewise carried by slide block III is positioned above arm I! of such stock stop. When the end of a work-piece engages such stop, switch IE will consequently be operated for a purpose which is explained below.

A stock vise is provided adjacent saw carriage 2 and comprises two laterally spaced jaw members l8 and 19 mounted for movement toward and" away from each other along way 20 parallel to such saw blade. Jaw 19 may be adjustably positioned along such way by screw means (not shown) within base 2| operated by handwheel 22.

Such adjustment will be made to accommodate different sizes and shapes of stock and once made remains fixed during operation of the machine. Jaw 18, on the other hand, is adapted to be reciprocated by means of fluid pressure actuated piston 23 in cylinder 24. (See application Serial No. 714,208, filed December 5, 1946, and now Patent No. 2,589,576, granted March 18, 1952, of Howard E. Rose for Sawing Machine for a fuller showing of one suitable way of interconnecting jaw I6 and such piston-cylinder assembly.) A slotted bar 25 is adjustably mounted on top of jaw member If! and carries a set screw 25 at its end adapted to bear upon the upper surface of the work-piece to hold the latter down. Clamping post 21 is operable to lock such bar in adjusted position.

A steel back-up roller 28 is journalled in a bracket 29 mounted on the side of jaw member l3. Such roller is provided with a bushing 30 of rubber between an outer steel and an inner bronze sleeve to aiford a certain amount of resilience. The face of such roller normally projects slighly beyondthe corresponding clamping face 3! of jaw l9, from ten to fifteen thousandths of an inch, for example.

A boss 32 on the side of base 2! below jaw member i8 has bolted thereto a bracket 33 carrying a rotary air motor 34 and a rubber surfaced roller 35 driven thereby. An adjusting screw 33 is mounted on base 2| and engages bracket 33 whereby, upon loosening bolts 37, bracket 33 may be shifted slightly relative to the face 38 of jaw 18. By this means the pressure of roller 35 against the stock may be delicately adjusted. In the embodiment illustrated, jaw 18 is adapted to be opened about one-eighth of an inch which is sufficient to bring the face 38 of such jaw back out of contact with the stock. There will accordingly be no unnecessary friction or scoring of the stock as it is fed forward. Air under pressure enters air motor 34 at inlet 39 at all times.

A conveyor is provided adapted to support the stock as the latter is fed to the sawing machine comprising a channel 40 supported by an outboard bracket 4! and provided with rollers 42. A detachable extension in the form of a channel 43 rests at one end in channel 40 and at the other end upon a pedestal 44. It is likewise provided with additional rollers 42.

A discharge chute 45 delivers cut off sections of stock from the machine.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. and 6 of the drawing, the operation of our new feed mechanism and its interrelation with the cut-off means may be explained as follows.

A length of stock 46 is placed on rollers 42 of the conveyor with one end extending past rollers 28 and 35. Line switches S are closed and the start cycle button pushed to close switch 47. The closing of such latter switch energizes motor relay 48 to close contacts C and start saw motor 4 and oil pump motor 49. Motor heaters 50 also become heated. A stop button may be manually operated to open switch 5| and break the circuit. Fuses 52 and 53 protect from overload.

Main air supply valve 54 is opened to admit air under pressure from any suitable source (not shown). At start of operation, valve 55 is closed. Air passes through 4-way valve 55, which is held in this position by the spring of solenoid 51, to lines 58 and 59. Line 58 leads to the rod end of the fluid pressure piston-cylinder assembly comnrising piston 30 and cylinder 61 which serves to reciprocate saw carriage 2. Pressure in line 58 thus holds the saw carriage in retracted position, in which position such carriage engages and holds open plunger operated valve 62, causing air pressure to be also admitted to the rod end of cylinder 24. Jaw I8 is consequently held in retracted position.

To initiate the cycle, the operator will now manually open valve 55, which thereafter remains open, admitting air to air motor 34 through line 63. The position of jaw 19 has already been adjusted by means of handwheel 22 to cause the stock 46 to be firmly engaged between rollers 28 and 35. The operation of air motor 34 now causes roller 35 very rapidly to advance the stock until the end of the latter engages stop 9, closing micro-switch 16. The air motor simply stalls and continues to urge the stock against the stop so that the stock is always accurately gauged before being clamped by jaws I8 and I9.

Closing of micro-switch l6 energizes solenoid 51 to shift 4-way valve 56, connecting lines 58 and 59 to exhaust and admitting air to lines 64 and 65. Air in line 65 passes through pressure regulating valve 66 to the piston end of cylinder 24 causing jaw l8 to firmly clamp the stock. Air in line 64 passes through manual shut-off valve 67 (which is open) to the piston end of cylinder 6! to advance the saw carriage. Inasmuch as jaw H? has such a short distance to move it will always be in clamping position before saw blade 6 can engage the stock. When the saw carriage has been advanced slightly, valve 82 will no longer be held open but the rod end of cylinder 24 will still be connected to exhaust through check valve 68.

When carriage 2 has completed its traverse and saw blade 6 has severed a length of stock, a stop on the carriage engages and opens normally closed micro-switch 69 to open the circuit including solenoid 51. Such solenoid is therefore deenergized and 4-way valve is spring-shifted to again connect lines 58 and 59 to pressure and lines 54 and 65 to exhaust. Air in line 58 enters the rod end of cylinder 61 causing saw carriage 2 to be returned. Jaw l8 remains in clamping position, however, preventing further feeding of the stock until saw blade 6 is out of the way, since valve 62 is still closed. When the carriage 2 has returned all the way, it opens valve 62 and pressure is admitted to the rod end of cylinder 24 and jaw 18 is retracted.

Immediately such jaw is retracted, feed roller 35 is operative to again advance the stock against stop 9 and the cycle is repeated. It will thus be seen that there is no unnecessary delay in the cycling of the machine and that the timing is wholly automatic, the stock being fed forward the moment the saw blade has been retracted out of the way. The feed mechanism has the simplest possible controls inasmuch as the air motor is merely stalled and instantly ready to advance the stock when the latter is released by the clamping aws.

It will further be noted that stock stop 9, being mounted on the saw carriage, moves out of engagement with the end of the stock as the carriage advances, permitting switch It to re-open and avoiding interference with the discharge of the out off work-piece. A holding circuit Ill maintains the circuit including solenoid sincethe holding circuit is no longer operative and switch I6 is already open.

Instead of the rotary air motor 34 a rotary hydraulic motor or electric torque motor may be employed, but the air motor is preferred as it is inexpensive, a source of air pressure is generally already available in the shop, and it may be stalled without any harm thereto. The stock clamping means may also be of the vertical rather than the horizontal type, if desired, and the air motor and feed roller may be carried by the jaw itself, such roller extending beyond the face of the jaw and the rubber surface thereof being slightly more compressed by contact with the stock when the clamp is closed. Both opposed rollers may be driven when very heavy stock is to be fed but this has been found generally to be unnecessary.

A variety of shapes and sizes of stock are adapted to be fed by the mechanism of our invention including round and hex bar, tubing, and shapes such as I-beams. If desired, the feed and back-up rolls may be specially contoured to conform to the particular shape of stock being handled. Since thefeed roll is driven by drive means which may be stalled without harm thereto when the stock is clamped such roll may be employed in continual engagement with the stock, continually urging the latter forward.

Other modes of applying the principleof the invention may be employed, change being made as regards the details described, provided the features stated in any of the following claims or the equivalent of such be employed.

We therefore particularl point out and distinctly claim as our invention:

1. Stock feeding and holding mechanism adapted to advance such stock into engagement with a stop and then to clamp the same during a cut-off operation or the like comprising opposed vise jaws adapted to clamp a length of stock therebetween, one of said jaws being normally stationary but adjustably positioned relative to the opposed jaw to accommodate various sizes of stock, a steel surfaced resiliently mounted roller carried by said adjustable jaw with its face adjacent and normally extending slightly beyond the face of said jaw, means operative to reciprocate said opposed jaw toward and away from said adjustably positioned jaw to clamp such stock therebetween, a rubber surfaced roller opposed to said steel surfaced roller and spaced therefrom to grip such stock therebetween, and a rotary air motor driving said rubber surfaced roller to advance such stock and adapted to be stalled without harm thereto, said resiliently mounted steel surfaced roller being adapted to yield sufiiciently to permit such clamping of the stock.

2. In stock cut-off mechanism adapted to cut off sections from a straight rigid elongated workpiece, such mechanism including stock feeding means, stock clamping means having opposed jaw members, and a stock stop adapted to engage the end of such stock when advanced thereagainst by such feeding means; opposed rollers adapted to grip such stock therebetween across the same diameter as such jaw members just prior to passing between such jaw members, one of said rollers having a resilient rubber surface and the other having a resilient rubber bushing and a hard rigid outer surface portion, and a rotary motor adapted continuously to drive said rubber surfaced roller to advance such stock, said motor being of a type adapted to stall without harm thereto when such stock is prevented from advancing and said roller consequently prevented from turning due to the latters frictional engagement with such stock, said hard surfaced roller normally projecting slightly beyond the corresponding face of that jaw member adapted to engage the same side of such stock to hold such stock out of engagement therewith during the feeding operation but adapted to yield sufficiently to permit clamping of the stock thereby when such other jaw member is reciprocated theretoward.

3.'In combination, stock feeding mechanism adapted to advance a straight rigid elongated work-piece to cut-off means'or the like, comprising opp'osed'rollers adapted to engage diametrically opposite" sides of such stock therebetween, one of said rollers having a resiliently yielding frictional rubber surface and the other roller having a hard surface but resiliently mounted so that such stockmay be gripped underpressure therebetween by'their joint resilient action, a rotary motor adapted to drive said rubber'surfaced roller to advance such stock, said motor being'of a type adapted to stall without harm thereto when such stock'is prevented from advancing and said roller consequently prevented from turning due to the latters frictional engagement with such stock; and stock clamping means comprising opposed jaw members adjacent said rollers adapted .toengage the sameopposite sides of such stock as said rollers respectively, one said jaw member being normally stationary and having its face set slightly back from the stock-engaging face of said hard-surfaced roller and the other said jaw member being reciprocable toward and away from said stationary jaw member to clamp such stock therebetween with such resilient mounting for said hard-surfaced roller being adapted to yield to permit such clamping action.

4. In stock feeding means adapted to advance a straight rigid length of stock against a stop of a cut-off machine or the like having opposed clamping jaws adapted to grip such stock during the cut-off operation; opposed rollers having parallel axes transverse to the axis of such stock adapted to grip such stock therebetween, and rotary drive means for at least one said roller adapted continuously to urge said roller to advance such stock, said drive means being of the type stallable Without harm thereto during the periods when advance of such stock is arrested.

5. In stock feeding means adapted to advance a straight rigid length of stock against a stop of a cut-off machine or the like having opposed clamping jaws adapted to grip such stock during the cut-off operation; opposed rollers having parallel axes transverse to the axis of such stock adapted to grip such stock therebetween, and rotary drive means for at least one said roller comprising a rotary air motor adapted continuously to urge said roller to advance such stock, said drive means being of the type stallable without harm thereto during the periods when advance of such stock is arrested.

6. In combination with opposed clamping jaws, one of said jaws being normally fixed and the other reciprocable toward and away therefrom; an adjacent pair of similarly opposed rollers having stock-engaging faces parallel to said respective clamping jaws and adapted to grip a rigid length of stock and advance the same between said jaws, the opposed faces of said rollers projecting slightly beyond the respective jaw faces when the clamp is open; and said roll-er corresponding to said-normally fixed jaw-being re,- siliently yieldable to permit slight lateral shifting of such stock when said reeiprocable jaw is moved to clamp the stock against saidfixed-jaw but normally serving to hold such stock out of contact with said fixed jaw.

7. In combination with clamping means comprising relatively reciprocable opposed jaw members adapted to grip a length of stock therebetween; stock feed mechanism comprising simir larly opposed rollers closely adjacent said jaw members having faces normally protruding beyond the corresponding faces of said jaw members in open position and therefore efiective to hold such stock out of contact with said jaw members during feeding of the stock, both said rollers being resiliently yieldable to permit bodily lateral shifting of such stock by action of said clamping means during the clamping operation while remaining in contact with such stock.

8. Stock feedmechanism adapted to be employed in conjunction with a. stock stop and stock clamping means, said-feed mechanism comprising opposed rollers adapted to grip a length of rigid elongated stock therebetween, one of said rollers having a resiliently compressible frictional stock-engaging surface and the other having a hard surface but resiliently yielding, and means operative to drive said resiliently compressible frictional surfaced roller to advance such stockthrough such clamping means-into engagement with such stop. a

9. In combination, stock clamping means including a clamping jaw adapted firmly to engage such stock to hold the latter against movement, and a roller mounted adjacent said jaw with a stock-contacting face generally parallel to the stock-clamping face of said jaw and normally projecting therebeyond to hold such stock out of engagement with said jaw when said clamping means is relaxed, said roller being adapted resiliently to yield when clamping pressure is exerted on such stock toward said jaw to permit clamping engagement of such stock with said jaw.

JOHN F. ROMANS. STANLEY V. POCKAR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,081,764 Meyers Dec. 16, 1913 1,782,692 Lawson Nov. 25, 1930 2,136,521 Petskeyes Nov. 15, 1938 2,144,335 Jenson et a1. Jan. 17, 1939 2,247,766 Boerger July 1, 1941 2,351,962 Harrison M June 20, 1944 2,387,650 Davis Oct. 23, 1945 

